Distant planet disappears right before your eyes

25/06/2012

Atmosphere of a planet similar in size to Jupiter, which is located outside the solar system, vanishes faster than previously predicted, due to the impact on the planet of the parent star. The scientists were able to examine for the first time on exoplanets hydrogen in the excited state, the fixing temperature, which was ten times larger than expected. This finding could help astronomers understand how life evolved on different planets in the distant outskirts of one of the most common types of stars in the galaxy. "This study was the first opportunity for us to" drop in the hydrogen thermometer "- said Adam Jen, head of research of Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut. Planet HD 189733b is rotating around its star at a distance that is ten times smaller than the distance between the Sun and Mercury. As a result of this distant world is very influenced by the parent star.

Scientists believe that the intense flashes of its parent star is heated gradually exosphere HD 189733b - is the top layer of the atmosphere, which is quite often "run away" in space - causing the planet to lose its shell faster than if the rotation is more relaxed around the star. However, despite this fact, the planet will part with only a small part of the mass in the course of his life.

"Star goes off earlier than the planet to evaporate completely," - says Jensen.

At the same time examined the other three planets, but the data in the two cases indicates that there are planets excited hydrogen, while the data for the third case were uncertain.